For those of you who don’t know, Bennie suffers from not only diabetes but also chronic pancreatitis and jejunal inflammatory bowel disease. There is no treatment plan to treat pancreatitis and IBD flares (or prevent them) in diabetic dogs. We’ve been extremely lucky the last 12 months to be flare free while just on metoclopramide (and of course her insulin). This week, our streak’s over😭. Monday, Dr. Brad made the sad announcement that we were indeed in a flare up. Since everyone believes Beignet’s issues are autoimmune in nature (including her diabetes being a result of autoimmune pancreatitis), he decided to try giving a small dose of dexamethasone to see if it could halt the immune flare up. It worked for several days and didn’t even cause a huge increase in her blood sugar. However, the improvement was short lived. I had to pull out the Entyce with her Cerenia last night to get some food in. This morning she wouldn’t touch food regardless of what I did. I had to take her to Southern Hills with food, insulin and all her routine meds before work this AM.
Now it’s time to make decisions. Do we go the budesonide route? And although it’s a steroid, diabetes comes secondary to everything else. The other option is to try pentoxyfiline. There’s not a lot of research to show it’s the right choice but the potential is there. I have the weekend to decide which route and would love some feedback.
We tried a little organ meat for dinner tonight (🤢) and she ate a few bites(😊). Please pray that I can get this baby eating over the weekend. Pancreatitis and IBD are tough but add the diabetes in and it becomes next level. Despite it all, Beignet is usually such a happy girl and loves life. It’s hard to see her feel bad and to understand how such a precious baby has to continue to endure so much. I’m hoping for a quick recovery!
~Devoted Doxie Mom
Diary of a Diabetic Dachshund 